Aragon, Jesusita (1908–)

views updated

Aragon, Jesusita (1908–)

American midwife. Name variations: Doña Jesusita. Born 1908 on a ranch in Sapello, known as El Rancho Trujillo, northern New Mexico; granddau. of Dolores "Lola" Gallegos (midwife); children: son and daughter (born out of wedlock).

Among the most respected figures in tradition of Hispanic midwifery in northern NM, delivered 1st baby alone at 13; assisted her midwife grandmother; earned title "la partera" (midwife) at age 14 and delivered an estimated 12,000-15,000 children during an 8-decade career; received Sage Femme Award from Midwives' Alliance of North America (1989).

See also Fran Leeper Buss, La Partera: Story of a Midwife (University of Michigan Press, 1980).